Astoria Diners!

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In a neighborhood that’s quickly being recognized for its diverse, unique food, sometimes we’d like to relax and go with a classic: diners. Diners are consistent – you know what diner food is like. You know what the vibe is like. You know how the servers are, how they all have white plates, and the same bottles of ketchup. When we’re looking for some classic comfort food and nostalgia, we trek on over to one our favorites in Astoria.

Family Corner – 21-01 31st Street, Astoria NY 11105

Family Corner is a classic Greek diner. It’s a small diner – and you can definitly see why it’s called Family Corner. If you’re stopping here for food, of course you can try regular omelets or eggs, but we’d suggest trying one of the Greek specialties instead. The killer dish here is definitely the sweet potato pancakes – and make sure you get them with bananas. They also do a killer chicken souvlaki – but that’s to be expected from a Greek diner! Family Corner is cash only – so be prepared!

Chicken Souvlaki

Tasty’s Diner – 33-04 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

If we’re on the Ditmars side of Astoria, Tasty’s is our diner choice. Like most diners, Tasty’s is open 24/7, which is great if you’re like us and get 3 am cravings for pancakes. That’s normal – right? The burgers and souvlaki here can be kind of…lacking – but the omelets here are fantastic. The only downside is that service isn’t always the greatest, but it’s not something that has stopped us from visiting.

Neptune Diner – 31-05 Astoria Blvd, Astoria, NY 11102

Come on, you knew this would be on the list. Neptune is eternally touted as the “Best Diner in Queens,” and we can see why people love it. It’s open 24/7, has ample space, and an expansive menu. Secretly we love it because it’s a short walk from the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, and diner food never tastes as good as it does after 2 or 3…or 7 beers. It’s also right by the train – so it’s one of the most convenient diners in Astoria. The food here is straight forward, and exactly what you’d expect. It’s not 5 start Michelin rated cuisine – it’s diner food – classic, perfectly executed, diner food. The portions here are large and filling, and while they can sometimes be a little pricey,  you know you’ll always be leaving with half of it packed up. We recommend the burger and fries, but if you’re hankering for breakfast food, Neptune is great.

Bel Aire Diner – 31-91 21st St, Astoria, NY 11106

For top diner pick in Astoria – we vote for Bel Aire. While their menu is just as expansive, we find that the offerings here are just a little bit better than Neptune. We’ve had chicken and waffles here, and the chicken is perfectly crisp and crunchy, and the waffles are soft and fresh – just like we like ’em. They make a killer old fashioned french toast as well (are you sensing a pattern – we really love pancakes, waffles and french toast). When it’s colder out, we make a few treks to get some soup – which is always really good here. We’ve also found that Bel Aire tends to have the best service out of Astoria diners.